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Shetland Diaries
Simon King moves with his family to the most remote point in the UK and reveals the natural splendour and unique character of the Shetland Islands.
- GenresNonfiction
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2010
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47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 11, 2021
I would’ve preferred this book if it had about the Shetland that I could see, rather than that of a previous persons with unlimited funds and the backing of a big company to introduce me to important people who would take me to places were the loving visitor was prohibited. These books and documentaries give impression of look what I am doing and you can’t.
February 23, 2016
Simon King spent a year on the Shetland Islands filming and keeping a diary, accompanied by his wife Marguerite and young daughter Savannah. His main objective was to film otters, an animal for which he has a long time passion. He also filmed orcas; on one occasion seeing a large pod within metres of the boat in which he was travelling. His description of this event was breathtaking. He filmed puffins close up, gannets plunging into the sea to catch fish and the secretive storm petrel - on the Island of Mousa, one of the only locations in the UK where this sparrow sized seabird can be seen.
His enthusiasm for wildlife is infectious as he experienced Shetland through the changing seasons and discovered the wildlife and the warmth of community in these islands. I had the pleasure of meeting Simon in 2014 at the Rutland Bird Fair. He is a font of all knowledge concerning wildlife, particularly birds. Anyone who can instantly identify a marsh tit from a willow tit has my respect!
I loved this heartwarming and inspirational book, made all the more enjoyable as providing much location information for my own forthcoming trip in May to Shetland.
His enthusiasm for wildlife is infectious as he experienced Shetland through the changing seasons and discovered the wildlife and the warmth of community in these islands. I had the pleasure of meeting Simon in 2014 at the Rutland Bird Fair. He is a font of all knowledge concerning wildlife, particularly birds. Anyone who can instantly identify a marsh tit from a willow tit has my respect!
I loved this heartwarming and inspirational book, made all the more enjoyable as providing much location information for my own forthcoming trip in May to Shetland.
November 20, 2023
King's writing style takes a few pages to adjust to - you can tell that he is more at home filming and presenting than writing - but once I was used to it, I thoroughly enjoyed this account of his time filming wildlife on Shetland. His enthusiasm for the land, the people and the wildlife of Shetland shines through, and his awareness of the privilege of observing otters, aukas and seabirds for a living never seems to wane. Recommended for anyone who wants a better understanding of Shetland wildlife or of the joys and challenges of producing nature films.
April 21, 2020
Author Simon King began working with nature early, as an actor in his father's Kenyan nature productions. As he grew older, Simon went on to create, direct, and host a number of award-winning films, including Springwatch, Big Cat Diary, Planet Earth, Blue Planet and the Life series. It's during his involvement with the Springwatch that he headed off to the Shetland Islands to film.
King writes in an easy, likable style of his efforts, battling the elements and geography, to film Shetland's wild wonders - gannets, guillemots, puffins, phalaropes, and of course, river otters. I didn't realize that killer whales visited the area (during grey seal whelping season); Simon provides compelling narration of the excitement that permeates the wildlife community when the whales are spotted and the resulting chase along viewing spots - along with the challenges of managing equipment, galloping into place while otters dive, and trying to come up with compelling shots.
My 2010 edition came with 32 pages of color photos, showing the results of King's efforts, the beauty of the Shetlands, and King's family with the island folk. Determined to ensure his second family had the opportunity to enjoy nature, and having married a wildlife film-maker, King brought his family to the islands - resulting in a number of house renting challenges - to share his deep developing love of the islands.
It's an enjoyable read, and I found myself looking at those photos - and King's sketch on the frontispiece of a puffin - again and again. It's not too technical, moves quickly, and gives a wonderful introduction to the Shetland Islands. King also does such an excellent job of describing the wonders of nature around him, and the feelings those wonders inspire. You can see why he's the host of a nature show - very articulate.
I should caution the sensitive that, during an encounter with a severely injured wild bird - the injury being so severe, after (phone) consultation it is clear there is no hope of rehabilitation / release - King makes the decision and personally puts the bird down, rather than consigning it to a lifetime in captivity. His decision stayed with me long after I finished the book.
King writes in an easy, likable style of his efforts, battling the elements and geography, to film Shetland's wild wonders - gannets, guillemots, puffins, phalaropes, and of course, river otters. I didn't realize that killer whales visited the area (during grey seal whelping season); Simon provides compelling narration of the excitement that permeates the wildlife community when the whales are spotted and the resulting chase along viewing spots - along with the challenges of managing equipment, galloping into place while otters dive, and trying to come up with compelling shots.
My 2010 edition came with 32 pages of color photos, showing the results of King's efforts, the beauty of the Shetlands, and King's family with the island folk. Determined to ensure his second family had the opportunity to enjoy nature, and having married a wildlife film-maker, King brought his family to the islands - resulting in a number of house renting challenges - to share his deep developing love of the islands.
It's an enjoyable read, and I found myself looking at those photos - and King's sketch on the frontispiece of a puffin - again and again. It's not too technical, moves quickly, and gives a wonderful introduction to the Shetland Islands. King also does such an excellent job of describing the wonders of nature around him, and the feelings those wonders inspire. You can see why he's the host of a nature show - very articulate.
I should caution the sensitive that, during an encounter with a severely injured wild bird - the injury being so severe, after (phone) consultation it is clear there is no hope of rehabilitation / release - King makes the decision and personally puts the bird down, rather than consigning it to a lifetime in captivity. His decision stayed with me long after I finished the book.
December 19, 2023
I loved the way that Simon King not only described the wildlife that he was in Shetland to film, but also incorporated tales of his family life in the the islands and anecdotes about the filming which he and his wife Marguerite undertook as a joint project. His stories about his little daughter, Savannah, were endearing, and on the wildlife front, I also particularly enjoyed hearing about otter tracking and his amazing experiences filming gannets in a feeding frenzy.
His writing style eloquently reveals his passion for the Shetland isles and their inhabitants, human and otherwise. Here is an example of his writing about one of my favourite birds - "The guttural, raucous calls of the gannets overhead grew louder, and the shadows cast by their long pointed wings flickered over the deck with Hitchcockian portent.".
If you are a fan of Simon King, Shetland or wildlife, this a must read book.
His writing style eloquently reveals his passion for the Shetland isles and their inhabitants, human and otherwise. Here is an example of his writing about one of my favourite birds - "The guttural, raucous calls of the gannets overhead grew louder, and the shadows cast by their long pointed wings flickered over the deck with Hitchcockian portent.".
If you are a fan of Simon King, Shetland or wildlife, this a must read book.
August 9, 2025
I enjoyed his writing a lot more than his presenting. Flows really well with just the right amount of description/fact.
A smattering of what I'd consider 'high brow' vocabulary here and there, but that's on me for not knowing it, rather than him using it.
This has sat on my shelf for years, left over from my Travel and Nature writing MA, not high on my tbr as as I said before, he's not necessarily my no.1 wildlife presenter, but I was certainly pleasantly surprised by this book.
A smattering of what I'd consider 'high brow' vocabulary here and there, but that's on me for not knowing it, rather than him using it.
This has sat on my shelf for years, left over from my Travel and Nature writing MA, not high on my tbr as as I said before, he's not necessarily my no.1 wildlife presenter, but I was certainly pleasantly surprised by this book.
July 15, 2023
Brilliant read, funny, sad, adventurous, and full of some beautiful wildlife encounters.
September 28, 2023
Was looking forward to reading this, but it wasn’t what I expected. A tad dull, despite the abundance of wild life in the pages!
October 18, 2015
Shopping: I can’t say it’s my favourite activity. It depends of course on what I am looking for.
This afternoon’s task to hunt out a new carpet left me feeling overwhelmed by the number of choices of colours, patterns and plains. A helpful assistant however steered me through the options and I left with some samples. Buoyed by my success, I headed in for a favourite shoe shop to track down a pair of shoes in the sale. Much easier task. Gasping for a drink after that, I set off to find the nearest place for a coffee. It turned out to be next door and was called “A Book and a Bun” – a secondhand book shop with café attached. It’s a social enterprise; books are donated then sold along with coffee and cakes, all profits going towards local community groups such as literacy projects and befriending services. This ticks several boxes for me and there would be no easier place to spend half an hour. Unusually I had no book in my bag. Such a shame; I would need to buy one.
And what a selection they had. The usual popular authors and celebrity biographies, but also loads of interesting categories. I picked up several books thinking that they looked particularly appealing. In the end, influenced by my nephew who had been raving about a recent school trip to Shetland, I spent £1 on “Shetland Diaries” by Simon King, the naturalist and broadcaster. A fitting accompaniment to my apple and mint tea.
It’s certainly an interesting book, but rather different to what I expected. I had anticipated details of Shetland’s history and people, the landscape and the native animals. Native animals were well covered; the other categories not so much. I finished the book knowing considerably more than expected (or desired) about otters’ urinating habits. Otters aside, and there are plenty of otter encounters for any otter-aholic, he also painstakingly details encounters with killer whales, with guillemots and with puffins. It gave a tremendous insight into the work behind making a wildlife programme, of how much time is spent lugging equipment, how much waiting and luck was required before a few minutes of television gold could be captured.
King spent a year on Shetland with his wife and 3yr old daughter and impresses as a man passionate about wildlife in general and Shetland in particular. He describes guillemot chicks jumping off the cliffs for the first time into the ocean, too young to fly; gannets streamlined like arrows diving for fish; the break-up of an otter family as the cubs reach maturity. There is a particularly endearing sequence as he initiates his young daughter into the delights of birdwatching from a hide as she works out how to use a camera for the first time.
For me, however, the most memorable section was his description of the “simmer dim,” that portion of the year around the summer solstice when, on account of Shetland’s proximity to the Arctic Circle, the days are so long that the sky never gets properly dark. He writes:
“The sky to the north was a deep, amber red, and its sister sea reflected the colour perfectly. The island of Yell rested with imposing grandeur as a dark, brooding mass to the north, its neighbouring smaller isles of Samphrey and Bigga peppering the ruby waters with their vivid silhouetted forms. There was not a breath of wind. The surface of the sea was so perfectly calm that each of the dark islands had transformed from low-lying slices of land to bulbous, ellipsoid masses, perfectly married to their reflections. There was sufficient light in the sky to read a book with ease…”
What an evocative description. This book however is not going to be retained on the shelf; instead it’s going to be passed on to my nephew. This pleases me greatly, possibly the first time we have shared a book since I read “Peace at Last” to him when he was a toddler. Sharing books with the next generation – how very satisfying.
This afternoon’s task to hunt out a new carpet left me feeling overwhelmed by the number of choices of colours, patterns and plains. A helpful assistant however steered me through the options and I left with some samples. Buoyed by my success, I headed in for a favourite shoe shop to track down a pair of shoes in the sale. Much easier task. Gasping for a drink after that, I set off to find the nearest place for a coffee. It turned out to be next door and was called “A Book and a Bun” – a secondhand book shop with café attached. It’s a social enterprise; books are donated then sold along with coffee and cakes, all profits going towards local community groups such as literacy projects and befriending services. This ticks several boxes for me and there would be no easier place to spend half an hour. Unusually I had no book in my bag. Such a shame; I would need to buy one.
And what a selection they had. The usual popular authors and celebrity biographies, but also loads of interesting categories. I picked up several books thinking that they looked particularly appealing. In the end, influenced by my nephew who had been raving about a recent school trip to Shetland, I spent £1 on “Shetland Diaries” by Simon King, the naturalist and broadcaster. A fitting accompaniment to my apple and mint tea.
It’s certainly an interesting book, but rather different to what I expected. I had anticipated details of Shetland’s history and people, the landscape and the native animals. Native animals were well covered; the other categories not so much. I finished the book knowing considerably more than expected (or desired) about otters’ urinating habits. Otters aside, and there are plenty of otter encounters for any otter-aholic, he also painstakingly details encounters with killer whales, with guillemots and with puffins. It gave a tremendous insight into the work behind making a wildlife programme, of how much time is spent lugging equipment, how much waiting and luck was required before a few minutes of television gold could be captured.
King spent a year on Shetland with his wife and 3yr old daughter and impresses as a man passionate about wildlife in general and Shetland in particular. He describes guillemot chicks jumping off the cliffs for the first time into the ocean, too young to fly; gannets streamlined like arrows diving for fish; the break-up of an otter family as the cubs reach maturity. There is a particularly endearing sequence as he initiates his young daughter into the delights of birdwatching from a hide as she works out how to use a camera for the first time.
For me, however, the most memorable section was his description of the “simmer dim,” that portion of the year around the summer solstice when, on account of Shetland’s proximity to the Arctic Circle, the days are so long that the sky never gets properly dark. He writes:
“The sky to the north was a deep, amber red, and its sister sea reflected the colour perfectly. The island of Yell rested with imposing grandeur as a dark, brooding mass to the north, its neighbouring smaller isles of Samphrey and Bigga peppering the ruby waters with their vivid silhouetted forms. There was not a breath of wind. The surface of the sea was so perfectly calm that each of the dark islands had transformed from low-lying slices of land to bulbous, ellipsoid masses, perfectly married to their reflections. There was sufficient light in the sky to read a book with ease…”
What an evocative description. This book however is not going to be retained on the shelf; instead it’s going to be passed on to my nephew. This pleases me greatly, possibly the first time we have shared a book since I read “Peace at Last” to him when he was a toddler. Sharing books with the next generation – how very satisfying.
October 13, 2011
A professional naturalist film editor and his wife, of the same occupation, and toddler daughter,spend summers in the far, far northern reaches of Scotland where they with infinite patience track down the otters, orcas, and puffans of the area. They find ways to get up close to observe without frightening any of the above and most importantly also not disturbing the nests and safety of the sealife already skittish. They are so unobtrusive they learn to recognize and follow individual ones. The otter family they trace from birth to when the young otters are weaned and brusquely moved on to make room for the next litter, but the mother after a few days finds her offspring and gives them an affectionate sendoff. If you love naturalists with a sense of wonder and of humor, I think you would like this book. It records the emotions experienced much like some of our own by these sea creatures.
March 14, 2015
I did get a bit edgy at the beginning of this - signs of inadequate editing. I was hoping for more information about the series I had watched on TV and initially found it somewhat flat and repetitive, but it came good.
September 5, 2011
I loved this book and it is definitely a keeper. Well written, beautiful descriptions of wildlife and the Shetland Islands. Simon Kings love of the place shines through and his enthusiasm is infectious.
December 29, 2012
Simon Kings love for the natural world is infectious.
I now have a new goal in life to visit the Shetland island and experience those harsh weathers.
'a stubborn protest of a land in the face of an incessant maritime campaign'
I now have a new goal in life to visit the Shetland island and experience those harsh weathers.
'a stubborn protest of a land in the face of an incessant maritime campaign'
July 23, 2016
Charming account of Simon King's time on Shetland with his family. Clear, straightforward prose allows his love of the islands to shine through.
July 2, 2015
Fascinating subject matter and quite enjoyable to read but very poorly written.
September 24, 2015
Interesting book, the author makes the Shetland islands sound so rich in wildlife. While I enjoyed the tales of life on Shetland, I am not more induced to visit after reading this book.
July 4, 2015
Enjoyed Simon reading about his family and himself living and discovering wildlife on Shetland.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews